Xavier Moves Past Central Michigan, 78-45, to Move to 6-1 on the Season

Wednesday, December 1

Cincinnati, Ohio

6:30 p.m.

Xavier University

6-1,0-0Big East

Central Michigan

1-6,0-0MAC

Central Mich.

Xavier

Xavier Moves Past Central Michigan, 78-45, to Move to 6-1 on the Season

12.01.21 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Photos

Nate Johnson leads Musketeers with 24, Jack Nunge adds 10 points, grabs seven rebounds

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier opened up the game with a 12-0 run and never looked back, topping the Central Michigan, 78-45, at Cintas Center on Wednesday evening.

Nate Johnson led the Musketeers with 24 points, connecting on five three pointers and going 8-of-11 from the floor. Jack Nunge added 10 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to help Xavier move to 6-1 on the season while Central Michigan fell to 1-6.

FIRST HALF

Xavier connected on four of its first five outside shots, with two three each for Nate Johnson and Jerome Hunter. to take a 12-0 lead, starting a 23-3 run over the first six minutes of the game. Nate Johnson scored 10 in that stretch for the Musketeers.
The Musketeers led by as many as 21 points, 25-4, and maintained at least a 15-point lead for the rest of the half before going into the half up 16, 41-25.
Nate Johnson led Xavier with 12 points in the first half. Jerome Hunter and Jack Nunge each added eight.
Xavier finished the half shooting 53.6 percent overall and 40 percent (6-15) from three.
Central Michigan out-rebounded Xavier 19-14. The Musketeers were led by four boards for Jerome Hunter.
Xavier forced 13 turnovers, scoring 14 points of Central Michigan miscues.

SECOND HALF

Xavier started the second half on a 14-4 run to extend the lead out to 26, 55-29, less than four minutes into the half.
CMU would get as close as 19, 55-36, with 12 minute remaining after a 7-0 run, but the Musketeers answered with a 9-0 run of their own to go back in front.
Xavier built the lead out to as many as 34 in the final minutes before winning by 33, 78-45.
Nate Johnson led the Musketeers in the second half with 12 points, shooting 4-of-5 from the floor after halftime.
Paul Scruggs and Adam Kunkel each connected on a pair of threes in the second half for six points.
The Musketeers were even with Central Michigan with 17 rebounds each in the second half, led by four each for Colby Jones and Jack Nunge.

NOTABLES

Nate Johnson led the Musketeers with 24 points, going 8-of-11 overall from the floor and 5-of-8 from three, marking the third time in the past four games he has hit the 20-point mark.
Jack Nunge added 10 points for the Musketeers and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Central Michigan finished with a 36-31 advantage overall on the boards.
Colby Jones finished with nine points, shooting 3-of-4 from the floor, grabbed six rebounds and dished out a team-high seven assists.
Xavier shot over 50 percent from the floor (27-53) and connected on 12-of-26 threes, while holding the Chippewas to under 32 percent shooting from the floor (16-51) and limited CMU to 3-of-18 threes.
The Musketeers forced 21 turnovers, finishing with a 24-12 advantage on points off miscues.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers head back out on the road this weekend, traveling to Stillwater, Okla., to face Oklahoma State in the BIG EAST- Big 12 Battle. The game is set for 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 5 on ESPN2.

HIGHLIGHTS